Chapter 73: 70 Plum Blossoms, Flames, and Fish (The novel is now officially published

70 Plum Blossoms, Flames, and Fish (The novel is now officially published! Please subscribe! Please vote!)

Silver light flickered, and plum blossoms bloomed!

In an instant, a five-petaled plum blossom bloomed in Pei Shoujing's hand, transforming into a massive—

Eight-sided plum blossom bright silver hammer!

The enormous hammer head was larger than a young girl's face, whipping up two gusts of fierce wind in the air.

"First hammer—Shake the Mountains!"

Carrying the immense power to split mountains and crack rocks, the giant hammer lunged forward; the surrounding air was displaced, emitting a piercing roar!

Pei Shoujing's graceful figure was enveloped in silver light, dazzling and brilliant, becoming one with the silver hammer; she was like an peerless fierce general charging into an army of thousands, her momentum unstoppable!

The white-haired person was struck head-on by the massive wave of Qi and could not help but retreat a step, blocking with their long sword and emitting a metallic *clang*.

During the clash, they retreated several steps, their footing thrown into disarray.

In a pure test of strength, they were soundly defeated.

Pei Renhu was nearby; because Pei Shoujing's application of force was precise, he was not hit, but he was still blown over by the fierce wind, tumbling across the ground several times until he rolled to the corner of the courtyard.

Pei Shoujing landed slightly, shouting, "Get out of here!"

At this moment, the silver light on her body no longer flowed but solidified around her, forming rings of silver light that protected her like chainmail, while the silver light on her chest resembled the heart-protecting mirror of armor.

Holding a silver hammer and clad in silver armor, her spirit swallowing dragons and tigers, she was a great general standing tall with sword in hand.

Pei Renhu opened his mouth, wiping away tears as he said, "Sister... I..."

Wang Cheng shouted from the side, "Get out of here, why are you staying here, you waste?"

Pei Renhu's face turned pale, and he turned and ran away crying.

Pei Shoujing tilted her head slightly, nodding to Wang Cheng.

Wang Cheng felt a surge of heat in his heart, wanting to say, "I will fight side by side with you." He couldn't get the words out for a moment, and a few sparks sprayed from the Lihuo Sword in his hand.

The white-haired person ignored Pei Renhu, instead looking at the silver hammer in Pei Shoujing's hand and saying, "Your sword? A Sword of Authority?"

Pei Shoujing said sonorously, "The Pei Family, General Pei's Sword!"

General Pei!

The Great Monarch governs the six directions, the fierce general clears the nine heavens.

Warhorses like dragons and tigers, how magnificent their gallop!

This is the Sword of Authority passed down through generations of the Pei Family; it is simple for Pei Family descendants to wield this sword to unleash its power—they only need the Pei Family bloodline and the courage that flows in their blood just like their ancestors.

Pei Shoujing can do it, she has been able to since she was a child!

The white-haired person nodded, their long sword like a white rainbow, thrusting straight into the center, a white Sword Qi shrouding the blade.

Pei Shoujing did not dodge at all, likewise raising her hammer forward; the plum blossom mark on the top of the hammer seemed as if it were about to bloom within the silver light.

"Second hammer—Sever the Rivers!"

The bright silver hammer suddenly expanded several times over, appearing the size of a carriage wheel; the silver light grew a hundred times larger than the hammer itself, circling the hammer head in rings, with countless gusts of Qi swirling outside, pushing forward like a tornado and crushing everything in all directions.

Astonishing power, astonishing momentum!

With this momentum, even if mountains and rivers were in the way, they would be crushed and severed!

Where the hammer's shadow pressed, the ground sank, houses collapsed, walls cracked, and rubble and debris flew everywhere; even if only brushed by the fierce wind, trees as thick as a man's embrace had their roots shaken, branches knocked off, and grass and trees flattened, as if a great gale had passed through.

The white-haired person swung their sword within the silver light, but their sword also flashed with white light, submerged in the sky-filling silver light, devoid of momentum; their figure leaped up within the silver light, stabbing backhanded, their body charging into the light...

Can she win?

Wang Cheng could not see clearly; in his heart, he felt that defeating the white-haired person was likely impossible, but if she could force them to a certain degree, compelling them to concede, and he could help smooth things over, perhaps they could escape unscathed.

In the end, one still cannot count on winning!

The silver light dissipated, and Pei Shoujing's expression was solemn; at this time, the silver light was no longer just attached to her body, but a mass of silver was coiled on her head, covering her cloud-like hair bun like a silver helmet. The momentum around her body became even sharper and peerless.

On the other side, the white-haired person revealed their form, standing on a pile of ruins—that pile of ruins had been a house just a few breaths ago; this small Daoist temple had been ravaged repeatedly, and most of the courtyard had become a barren wasteland—one hand holding a sword, the other forming a seal, white hair dancing, looking somewhat disheveled.

But there was not a single scratch, and their clothes were not torn.

Useless!

Wang Cheng's heart sank, and he abandoned the thought of winning. Relying on his cousin was definitely not going to defeat them.

Then, what if he added himself?

He immediately remembered that sword strike he had just been so proud of; he had unleashed a powerful flame like never before, burning even the plum tree to ashes, yet the white-haired person seemed... not to have even unsheathed their sword.

No, adding himself wouldn't work either!

He couldn't help but regret: if he had just followed Pei Renhu out when he drove him away, surely no one would have cared if one more person left. Now that everyone was blinded by bloodlust, wouldn't it be suspicious if he left now? What if the Sword Guest gave him a sword strike...

His gaze shifted, and he saw another person.

Right, he could...

Boom—

The battle erupted; even General Pei's Sword could not continuously unleash powerful Sword Arts. Relying on the powerful strength bolstered by the Sword of Authority, Pei Shoujing threw herself forward to engage the white-haired person. In the close-quarters combat, the giant hammer head still held the advantage; by slightly shifting its direction, she could seal off all of the opponent's attacks, and her own attacks could sweep across a wide area, though it was exhausting.

For a wielder of the Sword of Authority, especially a chosen wielder like Pei Shoujing, the limit of power lay in General Pei's Sword, and only the burden on her body was her own. She focused on the battle, without any intention of retreating.

At the same time, Wang Cheng also moved.

His blade flowed with fire once more, suddenly slashing toward the gray-haired girl, Mingjing.

Mingjing was startled, instinctively meeting the attack with her Qingteng Sword. The lush green vines touched the red-and-white flames, and with a *whoosh*, they were actually ignited! She held a torch, and seeing the fire spread to her side, about to burn her face, she screamed in alarm.

Then she heard a shout, and a Sword Light descended from the sky; Wang Cheng instinctively met it with his sword, but suddenly felt his whole body go limp, and with a *thud*, he collapsed to the ground, the Lihuo Sword in his hand falling and rolling far away along the ground.

The sound of wind rose by his ear again; he knew without looking up that the Sword Light had arrived again. Wang Cheng clutched his head, thinking, "My life is over!"

Then he heard a female voice shout, and a silver light flashed, emitting a metallic *clang*, and the Sword Qi instantly dissipated.

It was his cousin who saved him!

At this moment, he had no romantic thoughts at all, only the relief of having survived a disaster, and he was trembling.

The white-haired person could not be bothered to look at the cowering piece of trash on the ground again, and said to Pei Shoujing opposite him, "You want to save such a piece of trash, who is fierce in appearance but weak in spirit and bullies the weak?"

Pei Shoujing held a cluster of silver light in her hand, though it was no longer the Plum Blossom Bright Silver Hammer, but a silver-bodied rhinoceros horn bow; it was the arrow she shot with this bow that saved Wang Cheng's life.

This bow was also a sword, still the Pei Jiangjun Sword!

One shot and a hundred horses fall, another shot and ten thousand men scatter.

Still Pei Jiangjun!

Pei Shoujing said coldly, "In warfare, there is no path too devious. When it comes to war, you and I are enemies; what is wrong with attacking where the enemy must save? If we speak of character, have you done little of bullying the weak? Are you even fit to accuse others?"

The white-haired person shook his head and said, "You are indeed a base person too, I knew it. Because you flow with filthy blood, it may look clean for a moment, but once peeled back, it is filthy after all. I truly shouldn't have held expectations for people like you. And this piece of trash has even fewer merits. Does he even deserve to dream of holding the Ancient Sword? Mingjing, take the Lihuo Sword."

Mingjing agreed, threw away the still-sizzling Qingteng Sword, and went to take the Lihuo Sword that had fallen outside.

Pei Shoujing watched with cold eyes; in the battle before her, the mere Lihuo Sword carried no weight, and she could not afford to be distracted by something that did not belong to her.

The Lihuo Sword fell under the steps of the two remaining small houses; Mingjing bent down to pick it up, but suddenly, a hand reached out and grasped the sword first.

Mingjing was startled and looked up. A Daoist Child appeared before him, with handsome features that seemed familiar.

With an uninvited guest appearing, the white-haired person was also startled, and Pei Shoujing was even more shocked, saying, "Why are you here? How did you even get out?!"

The three pairs of eyes were all fixed on his face, and they saw him reveal a brilliant smile of surprise and joy, saying softly:

"Finally... I have found it!"

"Miss Pei!" He raised his voice, "Please step aside."

Pei Shoujing was stunned, then stepped back.

With five fingers clenched tight, Tang Zhao lifted the Lihuo Sword.

The light and flame—exploded!

If what Wang Cheng held was a streak of flame, what Tang Zhao held in his hand was a sun!

Pure white, unblemished firelight soared into the air, suddenly shooting into the high sky, the dazzling radiance shining so brightly that there were no shadows for dozens of yards around.

The light and flame were leaping, cheering, and the sword was excited!

Feeling the sword in his hand connected to him like flesh and blood, Tang Zhao did not need to Look, did not need to Ask, and knew that his faint feeling while watching from the sidelines was not wrong.

He had found his direction!

The so-called direction: once seen, one knows there is affinity; once able to hold, there must be destiny!

Countless characters flashed across the lenses of the Glasses, but he had no heart to look anymore, nor did he need to; when he grasped the sword that belonged to him, he naturally knew what he could do.

"Sword Technique, Vermilion Bird Fire—"

Boom!

The flames surged again, a massive fire that could not be looked at directly rolled toward the white-haired person; within the white light and flame, there seemed to be a giant, graceful, fire-red bird dancing in the fire!

The Southern Bright Lihuo is the fire of the Vermilion Bird!

In an instant, the white-haired person had been engulfed by the flames, his white hair almost scorched by the heat; he could no longer remain calm, and holding his sword, he roared, "Pure Yang, give me—Seal!"

The sword blade slashed downward, and a white shadow flew out from the blade, its form solid, no longer just empty white light.

That was a Sword Image!

As soon as the Sword Image appeared, it met the overwhelming flames head-on, unafraid!

At the same time, the sword blade unfolded, and some imperceptible chaotic Qi clusters were quietly released, splitting into several groups and heading in different directions.

A portion dispersed to the many youths on the ground, and several youths' fingers immediately began to move; another portion silently burrowed into the surviving small house behind.

The light and flame danced wildly, and it was a long time before they extinguished.

It took Pei Shoujing a long time to adapt and shake off the pure white in her vision, and she saw the white-haired person suspended in the air.

His white hair was still dancing wildly, seemingly shorter than before. His expression was ferocious, as if he wanted to devour someone.

In front of him, a formed phantom swam incessantly.

That was a white fish.

70 Plum Blossom, Fire and Fish (The book is now on sale, please subscribe! Please vote!)